A division between foraging range and territory related to food distribution in the red fox (original) (raw)
Abstract
Spatial organization of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes schrencki) was investigated on the basis of seasonal food distribution in the Shiretoko National Park, Hokkaido from 1992 to 1994. Four periods were recorded pertaining to the distribution of 2 kinds of food resources: human food and spawning salmonid carcasses. The home range utilizations of radio-collared foxes were compared for the periods. In the periods when food was not spatially concentrated, resident foxes were territorial, showing exclusive distribution of home ranges between families, defense against intruding foxes at the edge of home ranges, and site specific dominance over intruding foxes. In contrast, during periods when food distribution was concentrated, home ranges overlapped. In the latter periods, foxes made round trips of up to 8 km from their territories to the localized concentration of food, the distance that foxes can travel within a day. This suggests that red foxes in this area have unique foraging ranges that include some seasonally available food outside their territories, and that these ranges depend on fluctuating food distribution caused by humans.
Access this article
Subscribe and save
- Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
- Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
- Cancel anytime View plans
Buy Now
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.
Instant access to the full article PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
- Calisti, M., B. Ciampalini, S. Lovari & M. Lucherini 1990 Food habits and trophic niche variation of the red fox_Vulpes vulpes_ (L., 1758) in a Mediterranean coastal area.Rev. Ecol. 45: 309–320.
Google Scholar - Carr, G. & D.W. Macdonald 1986 The sociality of solitary foragers: a model based on resource dispersion.Anim. Behav. 34: 1540–1549.
Article Google Scholar - Cavallini, P. & S. Lovari 1991 Environmental factors influencing the use of habitat in the red fox,Vulpes vulpes.J. Zool., Lond. 223: 323–339.
Google Scholar - Davies, N.D. & A.I. Houston 1981 Owners and satellites: the economics of territory defense in the pied wagtail,Motacilla alba.J. Anim. Ecol. 50: 157–180.
Article Google Scholar - Davies, N.D. & A.I. Houston 1983 Time allocation between territories and flocks and owner-satellite conflict in foraging pied wagtails,Motacilla alba.J. Anim. Ecol. 52: 621–634.
Article Google Scholar - Doncaster C.P. 1990 Non-parametric estimates of interaction from radio-tracking data.J. Theor. Biol. 143: 431–443.
Google Scholar - Doncaster, C.P., C.R. Dickman & D.W. Macdonald 1990 Feeding ecology of red foxes (Vulpes vulpeshs) in the city of Oxford, England.J. Mamm. 71: 188–194.
Article Google Scholar - Doncaster C.P. & D.W. Macdonald 1991 Drifting territoriality in the red fox_Vulpes vulpes_.J. Anim. Ecol. 60: 423–439.
Article Google Scholar - Goszczyñski, J. 1989 Spatial distribution of red foxes_Vulpes vulpes_ in winter.Acta Theriol. 34: 361–372.
Google Scholar - Hofer, H. & M.L. East 1993a The commuting systems of Serengeti spotted hyaenas: how a predator copes with migratory prey. I. Social organization.Anim. Behav. 46: 547–557.
Article Google Scholar - Hofer, H. & M.L. East 1993b The commuting systems of Serengeti spotted hyaenas: how a predator copes with migratory prey. II. Intrusion pressure and commutres’ space use.Anim. Behav. 46: 559–574.
Article Google Scholar - Hofer, H. & M.L. East 1993c The commuting systems of Serengeti spotted hyaenas: how a predator copes with migratory prey. III. Attendance and maternal care.Anim. Behav. 46: 575–589.
Article Google Scholar - Knick, S.T. 1990 Ecology of bobcats relative to exploitation and a prey decline in southeastern Idaho.Wildl. Monogr. 108: 1–42.
Google Scholar - Kolb, H.H. 1984 Factors affecting the movements of dog foxes in Edinburgh.J. Appl. Ecol. 21: 161–173.
Article Google Scholar - Krebs, J.R. 1982 Territorial defense in the great tit,Parus maior: do residents always win?Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 11: 185–194.
Article Google Scholar - Kruuk, H. & D.W. Macdonald 1985 Group territories of carnivores: empires and enclaves. In: R.M. Sibly & R.H. Smith (eds.)Behavioral ecology: ecological consequence of adaptive behaviour. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford. pp.521–536.
Google Scholar - Kruuk, H. & T. Parish 1982 Factors affecting population density, group size and territory size of the European badger,Meles meles.J. Zool., Lond. 196: 31–39.
Google Scholar - Macdonald, D.W. 1981 Resource dispersion and the social organization of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). In: J.A. Chapman & D. Pursley (eds.)Worldwide furbearer conference proceedings vol. 2. University of Maryland Press, Maryland. pp.918–949.
Google Scholar - Macdonald, D.W. 1983 The ecology of carnivore social behaviour.Nature 301: 379–384.
Article Google Scholar - Maher, C.R. & D.F. Lott 1995 Definitions of territoriality used in the study of variation in vertebrate spacing systems.Anim. Behav. 49: 1581–1597.
Article Google Scholar - Messier, F. 1985 Solitary living and extraterritorial movements of wolves in relation to social status and prey abundance.Can. J. Zool. 63: 239–245.
Article Google Scholar - Mills, M.G.L. 1982 Factors affecting group size and territory size of the Brown hyaena,Hyaena brunnea.J. Zool., Lond. 198: 39–51.
Article Google Scholar - Murder, J. L. 1985 Spatial organization, movements and dispersal in a Dutch red fox (Vulpes vulpes) population: some preliminary results.Rev. Ecol. 40: 133–138.
Google Scholar - Niewold, F.J.J. 1974 Irregular movements of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) determined by radio tracking.Trans. Int. Congr. Game Biol. 11: 1–8.
Google Scholar - Niewold, F.J.J. 1980 Aspects of the social structure of red fox populations: a summary. In: E. Zimen (ed.)Biogeographica 18: red fox. Dr. W. Junnk bv Publishers, The Hague. pp.185–193.
Google Scholar - von Schantz, T. 1984 Spacing strategies, kin selection and population regulation in altricial vertebrates.Oikos 42: 59–65.
Article Google Scholar - Storm, G.L., R.D. Andrews, R.L. Phillips, R.A. Bishop, D.B. Siniff & J.R. Tester 1976 Morphology, reproduction, dispersal, and mortality of midwestern red fox population.J. Wildl. Monog. 49: 1–82.
Google Scholar - Takeuchi, M. & M. Koganezawa 1992 Home range and habitat utilization of the red fox_Vulpes vulpes_ in the Ashio Mountains, central Japan.J. Mamm. Soc. Jap. 17: 95–110
Google Scholar - Todd, I.A. 1992_WILDTRAK. Non-parametric home range analysis for Macintosh computers_. Dept. of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford.
Google Scholar - Tsukada H. 1994 A study of the ecology of foxes in Shiretoko National Park and their utilization for nature education programs.Bull. Shiretoko Museum 15: 63–82. (in Japanese with English summary).
Google Scholar - Tsukada, H. & N. Nonaka (in press) Foraging behavior of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes schrencki) utilizing human food in the Shiretoko National Park.Mammal Study 21.
- Voigt, D.R. & D.W. Macdonald 1984 Variation in the spatial and social behaviour of the red fox,Vulpes vulpes.Acta. Zool. Fennica 171: 261–265.
Google Scholar - Zimen, E. 1984 Long range movements of the red fox,Vulpes vulpes L.Acta Zool. Fennica 171: 267–270.
Google Scholar
Author information
Author notes
- Hideharu Tsukada
Present address: Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, 060, Sapporo, Japan
Authors and Affiliations
- Regional Sciences, Department of Human Sciences, Faculty of Letters, Hokkaido University, N10 W7 Kita-Ku, 060, Sapporo, Japan
Hideharu Tsukada
About this article
Cite this article
Tsukada, H. A division between foraging range and territory related to food distribution in the red fox.J Ethol 15, 27–37 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02767323
- Received: 19 July 1997
- Accepted: 07 April 1997
- Issue date: March 1997
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02767323